Max Verstappen, from Red Bull Racing RB20, hinted that Red Bull’s performance at the Canadian Grand Prix was not as competitive as it seemed. During the final practice session, Verstappen struggled to keep up with the Mercedes drivers, but managed to match George Russell’s pole position time. However, Verstappen admitted that Russell’s time was slower than Lewis Hamilton’s Q2 lap, which masked the true pace of Mercedes. Verstappen acknowledged that his qualifying performance was not bad overall, but recognized that Mercedes had a stronger pure pace. He also mentioned that there were some rain showers during the session.
Verstappen asked Red Bull to ensure they have smoother weekends, as an electrical issue in FP2 resulted in track time loss and the need to switch to an older engine.
“However, I believe that overall the weekend was once again a bit disorganized from our point of view, with many minor complications,” he continued.
“And from that point, we struggled to find the ideal balance with the car.
“I believe we achieved a decent balance during qualifying. I was quite pleased with that.
“But we need to be able to have more organized weekends without issues. I believe that would also make a difference.”
Verstappen had predicted that the long-standing issue of dealing with the curbs in Monaco, which hindered Red Bull’s performance, would also be present at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
However, while the reigning champion acknowledged that the more open track is less punishing for Red Bull’s weaknesses, Verstappen considered his second place finish as “damage control.”
“We are still struggling with the same issues,” he revealed. “But of course, the layout of the track is more favorable compared to Monaco, where there are many low-speed sections.
“So having good mechanical grip is crucial here. Of course, there is also more aerodynamics involved.
“Naturally, there are still some places where you need to go over the curbs or where the track is bumpy.
“But we are aware of these limitations, so we just need to work on them. That’s why I believe being P2 here is acceptable.”
Verstappen stated that he was not surprised by the sudden resurgence of Mercedes, highlighting how unexpected events, such as the double elimination of Ferrari in Q2, show how close the margins are now.
“When you consider the whole grid, there are some surprises, both positive and negative,” he said.
“This just shows that everyone is getting closer and it’s the small details that make the difference. Maybe you have a better understanding of the tires.
“Of course, every car has its own weaknesses, including ours. So you have to take that into account when dealing with different track layouts. But it’s beneficial for Formula 1.”
